Sinn Féin - On Your Side

Sinn Féin Equality Spokesperson, Upper Bann MLA Dr Dara O'Hagan has welcomed
the decision of the High Court to quash the decision of the Equality
Commission to withdraw financial support from a discrimination case after a
judicial review of the decision.

Dr O'Hagan said:

"The ruling in this judicial review of the Equality Commission's decision to
withdraw funding, at the last minute, in this discrimination case has
serious implication for the Commission itself and particularly the legal
funding committee.

"In the current negotiation Sinn Féin have been pressing the British
government to live up to its Good Friday Agreement commitment on the full
implementation of the Equality Agenda. I am seeking an urgent meeting with
Des Browne to address Sinn Féin's concerns about the Equality Commission and
its ability to support discrimination cases.

"The view of legal counsel that it was difficult to escape the conclusion
that the Equality Commission miscalculated its finances, panicked and
slashed its' caseload and then found reasons to justify its decision to
withdraw funding of the majority of its discrimination cases only afterwards.

"The judgement against the Equality Commission highlighted the fact that it
had made fatal errors in compounding an erroneous decision taken on a
mistaken basis not just once but three times. This indicates that previous
mistakes were then not addressed in twice reviewing the original decision by
the Equality Commission legal funding committee.

"This ruling calls the credibility of the funding committee into question. I
would also be concerned that the legal costs associated with defending the
injunction far out way the cost in continuing to support this discrimination
case that is due to be heard next week. The Equality Commission must, as a
matter of urgency review its decision to withdraw support for funding its
discrimination caseload. The financial implication of having to fight a
judicial review into every decision made on such a mistaken basis cannot be
under stated.

"The decision to stop supporting discrimination cases, that was taken
entirely without consultation, also sends entirely the wrong message out to
employers that operate either mechanisms of direct or indirect
discrimination. The issue of discrimination whether direct or indirect or
indeed structural and institutional must be tackled in an open and
transparent way if we are going to build the ethos of equality and human
rights into the fabric of our society." ENDS